Craftsman Lawn Mower Models

You Can’t Go Wrong With A Craftsman

 

Craftsman lawn mower models are made with the best materials and are the standard bearers of quality that distinguishes them from other mower brands. This high quality gives their customers a high level of satisfaction when using their products. The company has established a rigorous set of standards for their products.

Craftsman History

The Craftsman tools were originally sold out of the Sears catalog in 1927. In March 2017, Stanley Black & Decker acquired the brand from Sears. Stanley Black & Decker license their manufacturing out other brands for their tools and garden equipment.

In 1929, they introduce electric drills and other power tools.

In 1934, Craftsman launched their first lawn mower which was a reel to reel push mower.

Then in 1961, they launched their first gas powered mower that had a key-lock self-starter, automatic blade clutch to prevent stalling, and hand-controlled blade brake.

In 1974, they launched their cordless electric riding mower. Today, they offer electric, battery, and gas-powered lawn mowers. This includes, riding, self-propelled, battery and walk-behind mowers.

This is an excellent brand to buy as it was rated the second best by an independent survey in 2020. These mowers bring together inventiveness, comfort, reliability, flexibility, and engineering excellence.

With proper maintenance and care you can expect your Craftsman mower to last up to 20 years.

Why Should I Consider An Electric or Battery Mower?

Before you go off to buy an electric or battery powered mower you need to consider some important factors like size of yard, maneuverability and type of grass.

There are three main types of mowers and they are electric, battery, or gas-powered. Each of these types of mowers are excellent for specific jobs. Let’s discuss each of them so you can make a decision on which type is best for your situation.

Electric Mowers

Electric mowers are smaller and lighter than the gas-powered models which is a plus for elderly. They are also easy to start as they don’t have a recoil cord to start them. They are excellent for small yards under ¼ of an acre or 10,890 square feet.

• The mowing area of the yard is under 10,890 sq. ft.
• Access to an electrical outlet to reach all areas of the yard
• The cords length of 100 feet can mow all areas of the yard
• Don’t like pulling the recoil cord to start the engine
• Don’t want to mess with regular engine maintenance
• Want a mower that is environmental friendly
• Want to minimize carbon emissions
• Quiet and reliable

If your responses to the above can be met, you can use an electric mower.

Battery Operated Mowers

Battery operated or powered mowers uses a battery as the main source to run the engine. These mowers are limited to lawn sizes of ¼ acre or less. Trying to use these mowers on larger size lawns will risk the motor of burning out. Batteries have limited use time and will vary from 30 to 50 minutes on a single charge. Below are some factors to consider:

• Lawn size under ¼ acre or 10,890 sq. ft.
• The lawn can be mowed on a single battery charge
• You don’t want to pull a recoil cord to start the engine
• Very little mower maintenance
• Want a mower that is environmental friendly
• Want to minimize carbon emissions
• Quite and reliable

If you can meet the above criteria, then a battery powered mower is the right choice. Please be aware that lawn mower batteries last between 3 to 5 years before they need replacing.

Gas Powered Mowers

Gas powered mowers are used for yard sizes that are greater than ¼ acre. There are some advantages of using gas mowers:

• No cord limit to mobility
• Can operate longer than a battery mower without a charge
• Can cut through tuff grass with ease
• Mow larger yard areas

Depending upon the yard size will determine which type of mower you should use for cutting the grass. Remember, each lawn mower type has their advantages and disadvantages. Look over your situation and then decide on which type is best for you.

Does Mower Width Matter?

Yes, it does. Normally, using a mower with a wider width like 21-inches will mean you will get the mowing job done quicker than a mower that has less width. Which means you will be using less passes across the lawn to complete the job. However, if your mowing area has lots of obstacles, uninterrupted slopes, culverts, you can expect to get the job done sooner, and with greater results, by using a mower that you can maneuver even if using a smaller width.

Smaller mowers are an excellent option for small yards usually under ¼ of an acre. For lawns bigger than ¼ acre, you should get a wider mower cutting width.

Another important point, is you are doing the pushing which can take more effort out of you especially on hot days. You may need to consider using a self-propelled mower which does the work and you don’t have to push. All you need to do is to adjust the speed to match your walking style.

For yards bigger than ¾ of an acre, you should consider using a riding or zero-turn mower that come with wider cutting widths and sufficient power to mow tuff grass.

Average Mowing Cutting Times

• 22-inch push mower 50 minutes for ½ acre yard
• 22-inch push mower 25 minutes for ¼ acre yard
• 30-inch push mower 37 minutes for ½ acre yard
• 30-inch push mower 18.5 minutes for ¼ acre yard
• 38-inch lawn tractor 17-28 minutes for ½ acre yard
• 38-inch lawn tractor 9-14 minutes for ¼ acre yard
• 42-inch lawn tractor 15-26 minutes for ½ acre yard
• 42-inch lawn tractor 7-13 minutes for ¼ acre yard

For yards less than a ½ acre, you adjust the time downwards. Increase the times for yards bigger than ½ acre. For mowers less than 22-inches, increase the time.

The cutting times for push mowers above assume the average walking speed of 3 mph. So, if you walk slower than 3 mph add additional time and less time if you walk faster than 3 mph.

The average speed for riding mowers is 5 mph and zero-turn mowers is 7 mph.

Is A Lightweight Mower Ideal?

A lightweight mower is ideal for elderly individuals so it’s easy to move and maneuver it around the yard. They also weight less than the gas-powered models. The choices of lightweight mowers are electric corded or battery powered models.

There are some drawbacks to lightweight mowers. They limit your mobility to the length of the cord for electric mowers and the battery usage time for battery mowers. A large yard that is more than 100 feet away from an outlet will be difficult to mow. Most electric mowers have a restriction of using a cord that is no longer than 100 feet. Using a cord longer than this length could result in the motor burning out. Not good. These mowers will have some difficulty in cutting heavy or wet grass.

Battery powered mowers are limited to the time the battery can be used for mowing. Usually, between 30 to 50 minutes. If your yard takes longer than a single charge of the battery, you are looking at completing the job in two days. Or, waiting until the battery is fully charged, or buying a second battery at an additional cost.

You must take all these things in when considering to buy an electric or battery powered mower.

Pros Cons of Electric/Battery Mowers

Let’s look at the pros and cons of an electric lawn mower.

PROS

• No sparkplugs to change
• No fuel filters to change
• No oil to change
• No gasoline to store
• They are great for the environment
• They are quieter then gas-powered models

CONS

• The cord limits your mobility
• The cord limits the mowing based on the electrical outlet’s location (100 feet is the maximum allowed)
• Cordless models limits the mowing time before they need to be re-charged
• Have difficulty in cutting wet or thick grass
• Lookout for water when mowing
• Some models can be more expensive than gas mowers

Pros/Cons of Gas-Powered Mowers

Pros

• They cut through tough grass easier
• They don’t have a limit by a cord
• They are not limited by battery usage time
• They can mow larger areas without waiting for the battery to charge
• They are more durable than battery or electric mowers

Cons

• Require regular engine maintenance
• They are heavier than electric models
• They are noisier than battery or electric models
• They have pull-start cords which can make them difficult to start
• They emit carbon monoxide and dioxide into the air so they are not environmental friendly
• Must store extra gas, filters, and oil

Is 13 AMPS Enough Power?

A 13 amps is sufficient for an electric lawn mower. It can cut and mulch grass efficiently. For battery powered mowers the manufactures display the total power of a battery in Ah. The higher the Ah value the longer the battery will supply power to the engine. For example, a 2Ah battery will supply power for up to 1 hour verses a 5Ah battery will supply power for up to 2 hours before needing to be recharged.

When you mow the yard using a battery or electric powered mower, never mow on wet grass. Water and electricity do not mix. It could damage the mower and give a shock to the operator.

Is Using Gas for a Power Source Better

It’s better to use gas powered mowers when you are trying to cut tuff grass and have a large yard that is greater than ¼ of an acre. Walk behind mowers are great for yards under ¾ of an acre. If you have tuff grass the electric and battery powered mowers are not powerful enough to cut this type of grass normally. The reason is if the landscape is not even or has slopes the battery and electric mowers are not heavy enough to make even cuts on the lawn. You may be going over the same area twice to cut left over areas that were missed or not properly cut.

You should consider using a riding mower if your yard is bigger than ¾ of an acre. If the area has lots of obstacles, we highly recommend using a zero-turn mower.

Conclusion

There you have it the story of the beginning of Craftsman and what they offer. They have a wide variety of mower types to make cutting your lawn a breeze. Be sure to select the model that is best for your.

I think you will agree with me that owning a Craftsman mower you will not be disappointed.

Craftsman model mowers are highly recommended and rated by an independent survey. You can trust this brand of mower to do the job and honor their warranty. You should find a model that will perform well on your lawn.

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